Hello everyone, I have the great pleasure to be sharing my review of Literary Trails: Howarth and the Bronte’s by Catherine Raynor and David F Walford, so sit back grab a cuppa and enjoy.

This light-hearted but deeply researched book offers interest and guidance to walkers, social historians and lovers of the Bronte family; their lives and works. Set in and around the town of Haworth it gives a dual introduction to walkers and lovers of literature who can explore this unique area of Yorkshire and walk in the footsteps of those who knew and loved this town and its moorlands two hundred years ago.

With guided tours around special buildings as well as outdoor walks and the history of people and places who lived and worked in Haworth over centuries, it offers an insight into life and death in the melee of the Industrial Revolution.

Its joint authors have combined their lifelong interests in Victorian literature and social history with writing, walking, photography and cartography and have included quotes from Bronte’s poetry and novels.

Review

What a wonderful book this is, it’s not what I usually feature on the blog, but I was fascinated by the look of this book. I love the Bronte’s, I love Yorkshire and even though I haven’t been able to see as much of my glorious county as I would have liked to, so books like this are a brilliant way for me to really see just how mesmerising and beautiful my home county is, and as it incorporates my love of walking and the Bronte’s this is the perfect read and if I get the chance to do one of these Literary walks, this book will certainly be going with me.

To be perfectly honest this is the first I have heard about literary walks – it’s true I live in a bubble 😉 – the whole idea appeals to me, to go out and walk in the footsteps of these great authors, as I am unable to go off and wander around Bronte county at the moment, this book really appealed to me and gave me the same experience from my armchair as it is packed full of interesting history of the area and off course the Bronte’s, there are some truly beautiful picture’s and vivid maps that can ignite the imagination and have you walking the routes in your mind.

Each walk/chapter is laid out in practically the same way, there is a structured detailing of the walk itself, general information that all walkers will find useful such as the terrain and levels of difficulty on each walk and facilities plus maps and photographs.

This is a lovely little book, which I found to be very insightful and informative there is a real personal element to it too as the authors give a glimpse into their own loves of the area and their invaluable knowledge of not just Howarth but of the Bronte’s themselves.

If your off on a trek to beautiful Bronte country then this is a must to have in your backpack, and if your like me who can’t make the trip in person, then sit back and enjoy a virtual walk, either way this is a must read for everyone who loves the Bronte’s and my birth place of Yorkshire.

This was a complimentary copy via the publisher, which I voluntarily reviewed, thank you Rosie. x